Geografie 2024, 129, 265-297
Manifestations of the long-term transformation of the lower Elbe channel in Czechia and opportunities for its restoration
, Tomáš Galia1, Lukáš Krejčí2, Václav Škarpich1, Lukáš Vaverka1
1University of Ostrava, Faculty of Science, Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Ostrava, Czechia
2ENVICONS, s. r. o., Pardubice – Polabiny, Czechia
Received February 2024
Accepted June 2024
This study examines the long-term impact of water management and navigation modifications on the hydromorphology of the lower Elbe River in Czechia. The research focuses on gravel-sand bars, which are remnants of the river’s natural morphology. The analysis revealed a significant shift in the hydromorphological quality of the river, evaluated using a morphological quality index and historical data. The study analysed morphological and grain-size parameters of selected gravel-sand bars, as well as daily flow data. The results show a significant reduction in channel width and maximum average daily flows, leading to lower disturbance frequencies of the bars. The analysis suggests that close-to-natural processes affect the development of the bars but are influenced by artificial modifications. The findings indicate the need for restoration measures, which are discussed in this paper.
Keywords
hydromorphological quality, navigation, river transformation, morphodynamics, restoration, Elbe River.
